This morning I was out on my screened porch, nurturing my plants and I noticed a wasp colliding with the screen with vigorous force. Occasionally it would rest from it’s crashing and explore. I assumed it wanted to be liberated from the barrier that hindered it’s free flight in the world at large. It seemed to be seeking a route of escape.
Whenever possible I avoid killing insects and bugs, although there is sometimes a bit of alarm, as I recall the wicked stings inflicted by them. Though I’ve experienced the intense throbbing pain of a sting, I have lived to tell about it so am clearly not allergic. When I encounter wasps and other threatening species, I usually just try to avoid close contact, and we both go our happy ways in opposite directions.
Unfortunately I knew if left, the wasp would surely not survive in my porch, and quite possibly there could be a confrontation. My solution was, as is often the case, to capture and release. I know some of you cringe at the thought.
My first few attempts were futile. Rather than take the time to go into the house and get a jar to capture him, I grabbed the rake. I carefully place the tines over him, being careful not to crush him, but to divert him onto the tines, then I’d whisk it away to the great outdoors. He would climb onto the tines, then fly off half way to the screen door waiting ajar.
Then I tried a shovel, to no avail. Recognizing, at last, the folly of my attempts, I resorted to my proven method of capturing him in a jar. Only now he was in a corner and the jar wouldn’t conform to the angle…of course…lol With a garden marker I prompted him out of the corner and I quickly put the glass container over him. Using a flower pot saucer I tried to detain him, but he was faster than I. He kept dodging out at lightning speed.
Finally I vibrated the glass while I had him confined between the screen and the jar, and he fell back into the bottom, momentarily dazed. I covered it, and raced outside to release him. Whew! He hadn't made it easy for me to rescue him.
These are some of the thoughts that I considered during this escapade.
The lord sometimes puts constraints on us, not to imprison us, but to set us free to something larger and greater. We become fixed in our ways, determined that our ways are right and we avoid His directions. Proverbs 14:12 (The Message)
12-13 There's a way of life that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.
Sadly, When I released the critter, he fell to the ground. I watched for a while, and he seemed to wobble around the grass. Perhaps he eventually found his freedom. I was rooting for him, as God does for us. For all my effort in trying to rescue him, he was injured because of his resistance to my help. Of course he doesn’t know any better, but we have instruction in the Bible. Still, we often resist the way the lord has instructed us to go. Many blame God when they reap the consequences of their actions. Some choose their own way, and find themselves in a place they had not wanted to be. Our sensibilities are limited by our finite senses, and our senses deceive. If we yield to the infinite wisdom of God, even though we do not understand, we will be released to a greater freedom.
As with the wasp, I was attempting to capture it to release it to greater freedom. That is what our Father desires for us. Because of it’s resistance I had to take greater measures to capture it. This resulted in an injury to the very one I was trying to rescue.
I want to yield to a loving God, rather than resist and cause myself unnecessary pain. I am free to choose captivity, but why would I want to remain confined? I want to stand fast in the liberty He has given me, and not fight so hard that I become imprisoned. Will you do the same?
Grayce Pedulla Dillon 2010
Whenever possible I avoid killing insects and bugs, although there is sometimes a bit of alarm, as I recall the wicked stings inflicted by them. Though I’ve experienced the intense throbbing pain of a sting, I have lived to tell about it so am clearly not allergic. When I encounter wasps and other threatening species, I usually just try to avoid close contact, and we both go our happy ways in opposite directions.
Unfortunately I knew if left, the wasp would surely not survive in my porch, and quite possibly there could be a confrontation. My solution was, as is often the case, to capture and release. I know some of you cringe at the thought.
My first few attempts were futile. Rather than take the time to go into the house and get a jar to capture him, I grabbed the rake. I carefully place the tines over him, being careful not to crush him, but to divert him onto the tines, then I’d whisk it away to the great outdoors. He would climb onto the tines, then fly off half way to the screen door waiting ajar.
Then I tried a shovel, to no avail. Recognizing, at last, the folly of my attempts, I resorted to my proven method of capturing him in a jar. Only now he was in a corner and the jar wouldn’t conform to the angle…of course…lol With a garden marker I prompted him out of the corner and I quickly put the glass container over him. Using a flower pot saucer I tried to detain him, but he was faster than I. He kept dodging out at lightning speed.
Finally I vibrated the glass while I had him confined between the screen and the jar, and he fell back into the bottom, momentarily dazed. I covered it, and raced outside to release him. Whew! He hadn't made it easy for me to rescue him.
These are some of the thoughts that I considered during this escapade.
The lord sometimes puts constraints on us, not to imprison us, but to set us free to something larger and greater. We become fixed in our ways, determined that our ways are right and we avoid His directions. Proverbs 14:12 (The Message)
12-13 There's a way of life that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.
Sadly, When I released the critter, he fell to the ground. I watched for a while, and he seemed to wobble around the grass. Perhaps he eventually found his freedom. I was rooting for him, as God does for us. For all my effort in trying to rescue him, he was injured because of his resistance to my help. Of course he doesn’t know any better, but we have instruction in the Bible. Still, we often resist the way the lord has instructed us to go. Many blame God when they reap the consequences of their actions. Some choose their own way, and find themselves in a place they had not wanted to be. Our sensibilities are limited by our finite senses, and our senses deceive. If we yield to the infinite wisdom of God, even though we do not understand, we will be released to a greater freedom.
As with the wasp, I was attempting to capture it to release it to greater freedom. That is what our Father desires for us. Because of it’s resistance I had to take greater measures to capture it. This resulted in an injury to the very one I was trying to rescue.
I want to yield to a loving God, rather than resist and cause myself unnecessary pain. I am free to choose captivity, but why would I want to remain confined? I want to stand fast in the liberty He has given me, and not fight so hard that I become imprisoned. Will you do the same?
Grayce Pedulla Dillon 2010
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